Kirchen & Klöster Geheimtipp

Agarathos Monastery

Minoa Pediadas, Heraklion · Free

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

One of the oldest monasteries in Crete.

Agarathos monastery lies near the village of Episkopi Pediados. According to legend, it was named after an icon of the Virgin Mary found beneath an agarathia bush.

The monastery has a fortress-like appearance and a peaceful courtyard. It was an important centre of learning during the Venetian period.

Minoa Pediadas is the farming heartland of central Crete, a land of vineyards, olive groves and villages east of Heraklion. Kasteli is the main town, and the new airport of Crete is being built nearby. The area has many Byzantine churches with frescoes, the ruins of ancient Lyttos and quiet villages where tourists are rare. It's a good area for discovering the everyday life of rural Crete.

Around Minoa Pediadas

Nearest town: Heraklion, about 20 km by road
Nearest airport: Heraklion airport (HER), about 18 km by road

Heraklion is the heart of Minoan Crete and the island’s busiest region. Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum are the two places almost everyone visits, and they work well together on one day. In the south, the wide Messara plain holds the palace of Phaistos, the Roman ruins of Gortyna and the famous caves above the bay of Matala. More about Heraklion